Mount Olympus is a symbol of divine right, divine authority, divine power. It was believed to be the home of the gods—Ἑστία θεῶν, Domus deorum. Mankind could not enter the realm of the divine, and so in the epic tale against hubris, Bellerophon, the Corinthian hero, was cast from the mountain for his arrogance in believing he could face the gods at the summit. So is also the story of the Aloadae, who tried to storm the summit of Olympus, and instead the giants were shot down by Apollo. Such tales illustrate the cultural significance that Olympus had to the Ancient Greeks, and to the world today. The tallest mountain in Greece, it is a symbol of power and authority, and a reminder of our mortality and humility.
The Olympus sequence of Korinthian draws the extrospective aspects of these stories, and creates this sequence of songs and pieces that deal with how one views the outside world, and their place within it. The songs and pieces in the Olympus sequence are meant to comment on subjects that affect all of society, including but not limited to religion, interpersonal relationships, and how we may coexist and appreciate the natural world. In the opening track, “Olympus (Ὄλυμπος)”, the listener is immediately confronted by the sheer weight and grandiosity of the universe through a rhythmless ambient track that feels, if anything, big. Olympus towering over Greece, and the divines atop it seeing all that happens, is telling to the role that the Ancient Greek people believed they had in the universe.
Throughout Ancient Greece, music was seen not just as an art, but more so a science. The harmonies of the planets were recreated by man, and as such the Apollonian and Dionysian schools of music were founded. Aristotle himself believed that music education was necessary for one to be a mature and intellectual member of society, with Plato even believing music to be so powerful that it could even be dangerous to one’s fundamental ethos (ethical character). That music was the very thing that powered the cosmos and that made the planets turn is in essence the atmosphere that the opening track evokes. After that opening track, the Olympus sequence is filled with a forward-moving energy that is difficult to leave.
I look forward to sharing the Olympus experience with you all later this year.